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18 January 2007, 16:36
Batteries that travel: USBCELL batteries recharge through your USB.
 Moixa Energy's latest innovation is one of those slap- your-forehead, why-didn't- I-think-of-that ideas that simultaneously makes sense and makes us feel good to use: a traditional AA battery that recharges itself while plugged into a personal computer's USB port.
The humble USB port is becoming more and more useful. First came the memory card with built-in USB plug, now comes the USB-charged battery.
Moixa Energy have developed the USBCELL as an environmentally-friendly alternative to normal AA batteries. The top of one side flips up to reveal a USB connector, and the battery simply plugs into an open port.
The first batteries available are AA sized, but Moixa plans to unveil a full range standard formats, as well as phone and camera batteries.
 The feel-good part of the USBCell is this: Besides the advantage of all rechargeables — you aren't adding toxins to landfills by tossing the batteries in the trash after use — you are also taking advantage of an existing energy supply, your plugged-in personal computer, and are not wasting power.
It takes five hours to charge one of the cells if it was fully discharged; each battery has a capacity of 1300mAH.
No, they're not the latest USB Flash drives in a fancy casing - Moixa's USB Cell products are real batteries, charged using a spare USB port. Which, if you think about it, is genius: no cables, no special adaptor just plug 'em into your computer every so often.
 Moxia wants £13 inc. P&P for a pair of AA batteries, which isn't cheap, but works out better value than disposable alkaline batteries in the long run. Moxia also has a 9V block battery in the works, along with a set designed to match the power packs of popular mobile phones - again, all recharged using a USB port.
USB Cell has released to give more and more power, Moixa has release such a cell. What’s really exciting though are Moixa’s mobile designs. They’ll fit in your phone, with a handy USB connector so you can charge up whenever there’s a PC, PS3, Wii or Xbox around.
 Until now, rechargeable batteries have never been all that portable because they have to travel with a charger. "Our solution is to build the charging ability into the battery," Daniel said.
Moixa says it’s working with mobile manufacturers so the final designs will be co-branded and optimised for specific phones.
It means you can kiss goodbye to travel chargers, and don’t have to worry about your phone’s MP3 or video player sucking away at talk-time.
Never run out of power when you need to upload your photos. Continue typing on that Blackberry. Or just keep on playing portable game devices.
Simply remove the back cover of your phone and charge from USB. No need to remember or carry a phone charger or adaptor.
Moixa, a private company, has a few other innovations up its sleeve that Daniel won't disclose. "We tend to think about things fundamentally differently about how to solve usability problems," he said. "Sometimes it is a matter of rethinking how something is done and coming up with a slight change that in some sense in hindsight is obvious."
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17 January 2007, 15:59
Samsung aims to put digital TV in cars.
Samsung is coming to the rescue of an endangered species: the portable TV.
The South Korean electronics giant revealed a technology on Sunday at the Consumer Electronics Show here that will let local TV stations broadcast digital programs to phones or car TVs.
 Mobility, that’s the big news this year. All of the manufactures are hawking devices and technologies to allow consumers to access whatever they want wherever they want it. And one of the most talked about technologies was announced by at an event by Samsung yesterday. It was so packed that people were turned away. Samsung introduced what is called as A-VSB, which one executive said would obliterate the couch potato. And what it is a combination of a chip in various devices and an extra signal that can be sent out by television stations. And it will allow viewers to watch television on a laptop, maybe on their cell phone, and even in a moving car or train. It is completely new. It is not connected to cell technology or the Internet. It is what Samsung hopes will be the new standard for broadcast digital TV
To me, mobility is the next step in the natural progression of technological developments. You see signs of it everywhere: 219.4 million people in the US own mobile phones (this includes my non-tech friendly father), Google offers users spreadsheet and document applications over the internet (anytime, anyplace, any computer), and seeing someone watching Desperate Housewives on their iPod is not too uncommon on the train in the morning.
Currently, car passengers can receive analog TV broadcasts on a portable TV. In the United States, however, analog TV broadcasting will end in 2009. A-VSB thus will allow couch potatoes to continue to watch shows on the go after digital broadcasting kicks in. Otherwise, it would be puppet shows for them.
 Lets face it, people are on the go more; We just don’t have time to sit in one place and do one thing at a time, so of course our technology will reflect that.
Here, a Samsung representative holds a mobile device playing A-VSB enhanced digital television. The other, larger screens show what he sees. A-VSB essentially allows broadcasters to send digital signals to mobile TVs. There are still some tweaks to be worked out, but Samsung said products that use the standard could hit the market in 2008.
A-VSB uses extra space in the spectrum to enhance current digital TV signals, keeping it more stable and preventing interference by moving objects near the set.
"Broadcasters can use their current equipment and spectrum," Godfrey said.
In South Korea, digital broadcasters send their mobile programming out on a different signal, said Godfrey. There, watching TV on a phone has become more popular after a slow start.
It also can be used to broadcast digital TV to portable gadgets such as laptops and cell phones.
Samsung will submit the technology to a standards body in the first half of this year and hopes for products to come out in 2008.
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Samsung Advanced Vestigial Sideband Debut at CES: TV on your car navigation system, cellphones.
It's not a cellular technology; rather it's a way of getting TV broadcasting picked up on mobile devices. Make sense? No? Just watch the damn video.
Don't look for this any time soon, as TV stations need to start actually broadcasting A-VSB signals and then products that can pick 'em up need to be released, which won't happen 'til 2008 at the earliest. Kind of far off, but a cool thing to look forward to.
The company began trying to make the technology standard in December 2005 and hopes to try again in the first half of 2007. Our take? We hope there are ways to "shield" car screens from the technology. We can just imagine navigating to a party and suddenly one's 5 year old decides to put the latest Barney over a tricky turnoff.
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16 January 2007, 14:02
Consumer Electronics Show-2007: ExpressCard Slot Compatible MoGo Mouse X54.
MoGo Mouse X54: Made for ExpressCard slots
Newton Peripherals, the developer of the revolutionary MoGo Mouse™, today announced a new generation of the award-winning mouse, specifically designed to work with ExpressCard/54-equipped laptop computers.
 Frequent travelers who hate the trackpad controls on their laptops may find reprieve in the MoGo Mouse.
Natick, Mass.-based Newton Peripherals LLC is selling a wireless Bluetooth optical mouse that folds down to recharge in the laptop's PC Card or Express Card/54 slot and then pops back up with a kickstand for use.
"People who use laptops don't like carrying a big mouse with them wherever they go," spokesman Steve Friedberg said. "They can't stand using the trackpad and the little travel mice are just too small." • Built-in center scrolling capability through an integrated scroll pad; • No software drivers required; • More user-intuitive feel, with deeper finger depressions for more natural operation; and • “Auto-on” functionality when the mouse is removed from the laptop’s ExpressCard/54 slot.
In addition, the MoGo Mouse X54 also incorporates the latest in Bluetooth technology, enabling millions of laptop users to go wireless without requiring the use of adapters."One of the primary goals of the ExpressCard® standard is to open the door to innovation in the computer industry," said Brad Saunders, chairman, PCMCIA, the standards organization that developed both the PC Card and ExpressCard standards.
The newest version, the MoGo Mouse X54, was unveiled at the International Consumer Electronics Show. It comes with a touch-scroll bar that a reporter found did not function that well.
Since its introduction at last year's Consumer Electronics Show, the MoGo Mouse has gained worldwide acceptance from reviewers and end-users alike. Laptop computer manufacturers such as HP and Gateway have licensed its underlying technology or licensed the mouse for resale; experts have repeatedly praised its functionality and form factor, calling it the "ultimate in portability," "ingenious," and saying it "is incredibly easy to set up, comfortable to use, and so small that it will make even the most space-conscious road warrior happy."
"We have monitored the adoption rate of ExpressCard throughout the computer industry, and noted that consumers are buying ExpressCard-equipped laptops in increasingly significant numbers," said Matthew Westover, Newton Peripherals' President and Chief Executive Officer.
Newton plans to start selling the $80 device in the United States in the second quarter. The earlier PC Card model costs $70. "Accordingly, we saw the potential to take a leadership role for mobile mice in this market, and accelerated our roadmap to take advantage of the opportunity."
MoGo Mouse X54 will be available in the second quarter of this year from a worldwide network of authorized resellers, at an MSRP of $79.99.
What is MoGo Mouse X54™?
The company also began selling what it called the world's smallest Bluetooth adapter for users whose laptops don't already have the capabilities. The button-sized USB plug-in costs $50.
Who is MoGo Mouse X54™ meant for?
MoGo Mouse X54™ is speciically designed for road warriors who hate carrying around full-sized, bulky mice, but who also despise laptop trackpads. It is the ultimate in portability because it delivers the feel of a full-sized mouse without the cumbersome design. MoGo Mouse X54™ provides business travelers with a solution to their problem, making it easier for them to work on the road.
The MoGo is a portable mouse with a twist. It's Bluetooth compatible, so is able to connect to compatible laptops without needing an extra adapter. And once you've finished using it, you simply fold it shut and slot it into a PC Card slot, where it's both secure and receives power to charge its internal battery. Admittedly, it isn't comfortable to use for hours on end, but it's good enough for the odd job you can't manage with a trackpad. We experienced no problems with battery life, so if you're looking for an incredibly light mouse that can be used just about anywhere the MoGo is a good, if expensive, choice.
MoGo Mouse X54™ makes quantum leaps over other portable mice when it comes to mobility, comfort and usability. Its design lets business travelers use MoGo Mouse X54™ on virtually any surface they might ind in the ield. Because of its ExpressCard technology, it offers fast performance in a conveniently compact design. MoGo Mouse X54™ even stores and charges itself inside your laptop ExpressCard/54 slot. And its brilliant center scroll mechanism means you never again have to fuss with your laptop’s trackpad.
Features
• Sophisticated optical tracking lets MoGo Mouse X54™ work on numerous surfaces • Integrated “kickstand” lips out to position MoGo Mouse comfortably • Handy center scroll pad makes navigating documents a snap • Bluetooth operation delivers wireless freedom with no batteries to replace
What is MoGo Mouse BT™?
 MoGo Mouse BT™ is a business-card sized, Bluetooth-enabled mouse that stores and recharges neatly inside…that’s right, inside…your laptop computer’s PC card slot when it’s not being used. MoGo Mouse BT™ is a technologically advanced wonder, featuring patent-pending optics and a system that automatically levers the mouse up into your hand as you work. With no batteries to replace, the MoGo Mouse BT™ recharges in less than an hour in the PC card slot of your laptop.
Who’s MoGo MouseBT meant for?
MoGo Mouse BT™ is speciically designed for road warriors who hate carrying around full-sized, bulky mice, but who also despise laptop trackpads and trackpoints. MoGo Mouse BT™ provides them with a solution to their problem, making it easier for them to work on the road. What’s so special about MoGo Mouse BT™? Other mice, even those meant for road warriors, just don’t cut it. Mini-mice (the “walnut shells”) get lost in your hand and are dificult to maneuver, and the ideas of carrying a full-sized mouse defeats the entire purpose of mobility on the go, making MoGo Mouse BT™ a natural.
Features
• Patent-pending optics provide smooth, accurate performance • Integrated “kickstand” lips out to position MoGo Mouse comfortably • No batteries to replace — takes just minutes to recharge inside your laptop • Bluetooth operation delivers wireless freedom
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